Wikipedia:Peer review/Sickle cell anemia/archive1

Sickle cell anemia

• Dominance relationship
• Incomplete dominance
• Sickle cell anemia#Genetics

These articles require review of the terminology used. Incomplete dominance means that the heterozygote's phenotype is mixed, somewhere between the two homozygote phenotypes. So what does 'incompletely recessive' mean? The most accurate description of sickle cell disease's genetics is recessive gene#Sickle cell anemia (although I would regard sickling as co-dominant, because cells in the heterozygote appear normal under most conditions but sickling occurs with hypoxaemia). Axl 12:17, 21 Jan 2005 (UTC)

In view of the lack of response, I have changed the articles myself. Axl 13:27, 31 Jan 2005 (UTC)

I'm afraid I can't answer these questions, however I'd like to take the welcome opportunity to make a few suggestions, questions:

• "baseline anemia" what is this? Can this terminology be explained?
• "Reticulocyte counts are elevated, reflecting new red blood cells replacing the rapidly cleared older cells - red blood cell life span is markedly reduced in this disease." - what does "Reticulocyte counts" mean?
• "Vasoocclusive crises" - why are they called this? Where does the term come from?

I'm wondering if we could also explain what "crises" means in the context of this article. Also, a very brief explanation of the function of the spleen might be nice. This will help us medical plebs understand why this body part is so important and how it might be effected.

I guess what I'm getting at here is that I'd like to know what half these things are. I don't know anything about medical science, and it would be great if we could write this article from a POV that assumes the reader knows very little about the topic or topics related to this topic. - Ta bu shi da yu 02:35, 7 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I think I can help with one of your questions. Reticulocyte counts are performed as part of a full blood count, in order to learn the rate at which new red blood cells are being produced. The reticulocyte page is helpful, as well. I agree that the article is a bit hard to follow... If I have time, I might try to clarify the parts that I understand. - Randyoo 21:16, 7 Feb 2005 (UTC)

Most of the questions are answered by following the wikilinks. I don't think this article should purport to give a comprehensive explanation what a reticulocyte is and does. Similarly, the "crises" are explained (although terminology is admittedly a bit confusing). Basically, they are vasoocclusive crises because the red blood cells change shape, getting stuck (occlusive) in small blood vessels (vaso) and obstructing blood flow to downstream tissues.

Randyoo: reticulocyte counts are not done automatically, but have to be requested specifically. JFW | T@lk 21:46, 7 Feb 2005 (UTC)

I don't think it should be so comprehensive it gives detailed explanations of the concepts. However, as Randyoo has already pointed out: it's hard to follow and makes far too many assumptions. - Ta bu shi da yu 01:37, 12 Feb 2005 (UTC)